“While Statistics NZ does not collect population information on Pokémon types, we believe this peak may be due to Dunedin’s varied terrain attracting a wide range of Pokémon types,” Pokémon statistical analyst, Bridget Snodgrass said.

Pokémon GO for iPhone and Android was released in July 2016. An ‘augmented reality’ game, it sees gamers interact with real-life locations to find and catch Pokémon. Around 9.5 million players across the world use the game each day.

While Dunedin has the highest Pokémon number per person, Auckland Central East area and Lambton Quay in Wellington are the country’s hot spots for Pokémon catching during daytime hours, with 41 and 40 Pokémon per square kilometre, respectively.

For night-time hunters, Auckland Central East and the Willis Street to Cambridge Terrace area in Wellington are the best spots – with 18 and 12 Pokémon per square kilometre, respectively.

The South Island hot spot is Riccarton South in Christchurch during the daytime – with 10 Pokémon per square kilometre. At night, it’s Riccarton West – with nine Pokémon per square kilometre.

“The Pokémon population maps show that the Pokémon population correlates with our human population across New Zealand,” Ms Snodgrass said. “Each of our three major centres – Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch – have several hundred active Pokémon at any one time.”

Population estimates of active Pokémon found in our six largest centres:

Auckland – 2,100

Hamilton – 200

Tauranga – 150

Wellington – 300

Christchurch – 500

Dunedin – 200.

Data source

The above provisional Pokémon population figures were devised with a model incorporating data from Statistics NZ, Research NZ, and Frost & Sullivan. The model was corroborated using observational data. Our usual privacy and confidentiality standards were maintained.